Round 02: Si Racha – Thailand

Thailand

March 9, 2014

Solid Performances from Team HRC in Oppressive Thai GP Heat

Team HRC did not walk away from the Grand Prix of Thailand with any trophies but Max Nagl and Evgeny Bobryshev both acquitted themselves admirably in very demanding conditions for the second round of the FIM Motocross World Championship. In a typically oppressively hot climate, reigning World Champion Tony Cairoli (KTM) grabbed overall victory in the premier MXGP class but Nagl recovered from bad starts to be fourth overall while Bobryshev gritted his teeth against ankle pain and came home in sixth.

Maximilian Nagl

Maximilian Nagl

The Si Racha circuit bobbed and weaved across two hillsides close to the city of Pattaya with a flowing and fast layout. The loose dirt, big jumps and open corners meant a course that produced tight lap-times and it was tough for riders to create much of a difference in terms of gaining distance to-or-over their rivals.

Nagl came to Thailand confident and in optimistic mood after his first podium result ‘in red’ eight days beforehand in Losail. The German was luckless in qualification after hitting a rut hard and bending the rear brake lever under the bike, forcing a retirement and a lowly pick of positions in the wide start gate and long uphill start straight.

A different specification of fuel to be allowed entry into Thailand had been agreed between the teams and the FIM and this combined with air temperatures over thirty degrees was suspected of causing some technical problems that were also experienced by other teams and manufacturers. Nagl had been trying to optimise his CRF450RW to suit the conditions but could not unearth enough potential to realise his trademark lightning starts. The 26 year old had to work hard in both races to come through the pack and gain positions and his pace was remarkably effective. He made it up to sixth in the first thirty minute and two lap chase and then ploughed a path to a respectable fourth in the second. Nagl now lies second to Cairoli in the MXGP points table, trailing by sixteen.

Bobryshev had precious few days to rest his injured right ankle after a brave performance the previous weekend in Qatar for the season-opener. The Russian hobbled onto the CRF450RW and although he felt at a handicap in the right hand corners and a distaste of overly hot weather ‘Bobby’ got down to business. A quicker and smoother track in the first moto was hard to handle and he scored eleventh place. In the second moto he tried to follow his team-mate for long stretches and was able to find a better rhythm using the bumps and ruts for an improved seventh.

The MXGP podium was headed by the Italian, Cairilo with Belgians, Clement Desalle (Suzuki) in second and Jeremy Van Horebeek (Yamaha) taking the third step.

In the MX2 category former European Champion Tim Gajser had a tough weekend with a run to twelfth spot in the first moto and culled by a mechanical glitch in the second race that ended his participation prematurely. The Slovakian is riding a full HRC-backed CRF250RW in the confines of the Honda Gariboldi squad and is currently twelfth in the championship standings. Team-mate and the sole representative for Japan in the FIM series, Kei Yamamoto, grabbed a point for twentieth in the first sprint but crashed out in the second, nursing bruises and a painful knee.

The MX2 motos, run over 30 minutes and two laps were both dominated by the young Dutch rider Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) with the podium being rounded off by Glenn Coldenhoff (Suzuki) in second place and Max Anstie (Yamaha) in third.

Round two of the FIM Motocross World Championship takes place in three weeks time at the circuit within the Beto Carrero theme park for the first of two visits to Brazil this year. The event, heavily-backed by Honda, is the third flyaway in the formative stages of the 2014 calendar.

Maximilian Nagl

Evgeny Bobryshev

Maximilian Nagl:
Race Result: 6th/4th Championship position: 2nd

“I’m really happy about my riding. In the first Heat I came back from almost last position to sixth and had a few bike problems. I was last again at the start of the second Heat but could make fourth. So I was riding well but it seemed like everybody was having problems with the bikes; Strijbos and Frossard ahead of me could not do the jumps any more because of the different fuel and the heat. I passed them but one lap later I had the same trouble and had to slowdown. The Japanese technicians were working all weekend to find the solution for the starts but I think the bike was just too sensitive for the different fuel and combined with the temperatures was working against us. It was difficult but a good Grand Prix considering. I still have a good position in the championship so I’m quite pleased.”

Evgeny Bobryshev:
Race Result: 11th/5th Championship position: 6th

“In the first race I wasn’t so good and there were not many lines. I wasn’t good off the gate, around fifteenth, and I couldn't slide the bike or get into the right hard turns well. A lot of people passed me. A rock then flicked up and hit my foot and it was really painful. I got the points for eleventh and that was important. In the next race Max passed me in the middle of the race and I just followed him. There were better lines and some more ruts. I was carrying the speed better. The difficult points were the heat – it was unbelievable (but having five minutes less helped) – and those first laps in the pack because I was scared of getting hit on the leg. I tried to be clever and keep out of company. On Tuesday I go for medical treatment and recovery and hope to be better for Brazil.”

Tim Gajser:
Race Result: 12th/22nd Championship position: 12th

“In the first moto I didn’t have the best start. I was round fifteenth. I passed a couple of riders and finished twelfth. It was not so bad but can be better for sure. In the second race again I didn't have the best start but squared a few corners and was inside the top ten. I passed Lupino but on the eighth lap I had a problem with the bike and could not finish. I was really disappointed because it is not good for the championship. We will see what happens in Brazil.”